Aconitase (ACO) is a key enzyme that catalyzes the isomerization of citrate to isocitrate in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) and glyoxylate cycles. The function of ACOs has been well studied in model plants, such as Arabidopsis. In contrast, the evolutionary patterns of the ACO family in land plants are poorly understood. In this study, we systematically examined the molecular evolution and expression divergence of the ACO gene family in 12 land plant species. Thirty-six ACO genes were identified from the 12 land plant species representing the four major land plant lineages: Bryophytes, lycophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. All of these ACOs belong to the cytosolic isoform. Three gene duplication events contributed to the expansion of the ACO family in angiosperms. The ancestor of angiosperms may have contained only one ACO gene. One gene duplication event split angiosperm ACOs into two distinct clades. Two clades showed a divergence in selective pressure and gene expression patterns. The cis-acting elements that function in light responsiveness were most abundant in the promoter region of the ACO genes, indicating that plant ACO genes might participate in light regulatory pathways. Our findings provide comprehensive insights into the ACO gene family in land plants.

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2017) The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Populuswilsonii and its phylogenetic analysis, Mitochondrial DNA Part B, 2:2, 932-933, ABSTRACTThe complete chloroplast genome of Populus wilsonii was reconstructed by reference-based assembly using whole-genome sequencing data. The total chloroplast genome size of P. wilsonii was 158,080 bp in length, including a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs) of 27,749 bp each, a large single-copy region (LSC) of 85,949 bp and a small single-copy region (SSC) of 16,633 bp. A total of 133 genes were predicted from the chloroplast genome, including 86 protein-coding genes, 39 tRNA genes and eight rRNA genes. Among these genes, 20 genes occurred in IRs, containing nine protein-coding genes, seven tRNA genes and four rRNA genes. The GC content of P. wilsonii chloroplast genome was 36.6%. The phylogenetic analysis with 15 other species showed that P. wilsonii was closely clustered with Populus cathayana. The complete chloroplast genome of P. wilsonii provides new insights into Populus evolutionary and genomic studies. ARTICLE HISTORY